Before any electric service shall be furnished by the City, the prospective customer shall file an application in writing to the City. A separate application for each service class and/or service location shall be filed and approved prior to providing the service requested.
A. Customer Deposits: A deposit as herein provided shall be required for each service connection requested by a customer. The City shall, at its discretion, require a customer with an unsatisfactory credit rating to provide a deposit sufficient to guarantee payment of bills for service. However, no residential customer shall be disconnected during the period of November 1 to April 1 of any year due to nonpayment of a deposit. (1975 Code § 7-3-15)
1. When existing electric customers move or relocate to a new premises within the City and have had no delinquent utility bill for twelve (12) months prior to the move or relocation, the deposit requirement may be waived by the Utility Billing Supervisor.
2. When new customers or when existing electric customers move or relocate to a new premises within the City and have had delinquent bills within the last twelve (12) months, a deposit shall be required. Deposit shall be calculated by the Utility Billing Supervisor and shall be not less than forty dollars ($40.00) for residential customers and eighty dollars ($80.00) for commercial customers. Deposits for electric heating service shall be at least two (2) times the nonelectric heating deposit.
a. Construction Electric Service: Requests for construction electric service shall be by written application and a deposit of forty dollars ($40.00) for each project shall be required from new contractors who have not established credit with the City. Contractors with prior credit will be exempt from the deposit requirement at the discretion of the Utility Billing Supervisor. (1975 Code § 7-3-15; amd. 1998 Code)
b. Permanent Service Connection: When construction electric service is removed and a permanent service is connected, the owner/tenant shall be responsible for the regular deposit as set forth in subsections A1 and A2 of this section.
B. Amount Of Deposit: Deposits shall not be less than forty dollars ($40.00) or more in amount than the maximum estimated charge for service for two (2) consecutive billing periods or ninety (90) days, whichever is less, or as may be reasonably required for service for short periods or special occasions. A delinquent deposit shall be subject to late payment penalties normally accruing to an unpaid bill.
C. Deposit Receipt: A receipt shall be given for all such deposits. If such receipt shall be lost, a duplicate may be issued if the customer will provide adequate identification for the city.
D. Refund Of Deposit: All such deposits shall be refunded at the request of the customer after twelve (12) consecutive months of prompt payment, or without request by the customer after thirty six (36) consecutive months of prompt payment. these times may be extended when the city has evidence that continued retention of such deposit is required to ensure payment of bills for service. Refund will be made upon discontinuance of service due to customer's moving from the city's service area. (1975 Code § 7-3-15)
E. Interest On Deposit: Simple interest at a rate equal to the lowest interest rate currently being earned on the City's financial accounts will be paid for such deposits at the time of refund of such deposit. No interest will be paid for less than six (6) months, and such deposits will cease to bear interest on any date upon which the customer becomes delinquent. (1975 Code § 7-3-15; amd. 1998 Code)
F. Additional Deposits: New or additional deposit shall be required upon ten (10) days' written notice of the need for such a requirement in any case where a deposit has been refunded or is found to be inadequate to cover the amount provided for or where a customer's credit standing is not satisfactory to the City. The service of any customer who fails to comply with these requirements shall be disconnected in accord with billing, notice, and disconnection procedures as herein prescribed. A delinquent additional deposit shall be subject to late payment penalties normally accruing to an unpaid bill. However, no residential customer shall be disconnected during the period of November 1 to April 1 of any year due to nonpayment of an additional deposit.
G. Noncompliance: The service of any customer who fails to comply with these requirements may be discontinued upon five (5) days' written notice. (1975 Code § 7-3-15)